Patagonia
pronunciation
How to pronounce Patagonia in British English:
UK [ˌpætəˈɡəuniə,-njə]
How to pronounce Patagonia in American English:
US [ˌpætəˈɡoniə, -ˈɡonjə]
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- Noun:
- region in southern South America between the Andes and the South Atlantic
Word Origin
- Patagonia
- South American region, with -ia + Patagon, name given by Europeans to the Tehuelche people who inhabited the coasts of the region, sometimes said to mean literally "large-foot," from Spanish and Portuguese pata "paw, animal foot" (see patten) in reference to the people's llama-skin shoes. But elsewhere said to be from Patagon, name of a dog-headed monster in the prose romance "Amadís de Gaula" (1508) by Garci Ordóñez de Montalvo (which also might have yielded California).
Example
- 1. Argentina , specifically the patagonia region , is somewhat of a mecca for adventure seekers .
- 2. But they would also flood 5900 hectares ( 14600 acres ) of wilderness in patagonia .
- 3. This part of argentina is also known as patagonia , with arid landscapes sculpted by relentless winds .
- 4. Last month some 30000 people marched against the government 's decision to approve the building of a giant hydroelectric plant in pristine patagonia .
- 5. A land of untouched beauty , south america 's patagonia stands to be dramatically altered by climate change .